At Your Service
by LittleLonnie
Summary: Kili and Bilbo friendship. A last goodbye between friends. Spoilers for the book.


**Title: **At Your Service**  
Author: **LittleLonnie**  
Genre: **Friendship/Tragedy**  
Characters:** Kili, Bilbo**  
Summary: **A last goodbye between friends  
**Spoilers:** For the book

* * *

"Come on, take my hand," Kili more or less begged as he stretched down as far as he could to try and get a hold of the hobbit hanging off the little cliff. It wasn't that a fall from the cliff would lead into a nothingness below, but it would be deadly if he hit the stones. So if the hobbit fell he would either fall to the stony ground or into the arms of waiting orcs. It was a given that the young dwarf could not let that happen.

"You're hurt," Bilbo cried, tear streaks on his cheeks. He had just witnessed an orc dig his sword into the dwarf's back while trying to help him – only for the orc to be pierced by elven arrows moments too late. All because Bilbo had managed to end up in this terrifying situation, the young dwarf had taken it on him to help him, dropping his own weapon and protection for his sake.

"Nothing to do about that now, Bilbo," Kili smiled sadly, his arm shaking badly, but making no sign of pulling his arm away,

"If anything you are making this worse if you don't let me help now."

It was limited how long they would be able to stay there without being noticed. Kili could be taken for dead by laying there, but the hobbit dangling was drawing attention to them.

Bilbo finally grabbed at the rocks with his other hand before locking it around the dwarf's wrist. Kili pulled him up with all his remaining strength, the brutal wound to his back making him whimper slightly. He finally sagged against a stone in relief once the hobbit was on safe ground.

"We need to get away from here," Bilbo urged his friend. When Kili just shook his head and looked up at the hobbit, Bilbo grumbled something about the stubbornness of dwarves which he had most likely snatched up by Gandalf along the way,

"What do you mean no? You're wounded. You can't fight like this," Bilbo said, taking a closer look at Kili's bleeding back, color draining from his face at the sight,

"I tried to protect him. Uncle. Thorin," Kili said, sitting up a little straighter to grab his friend's shoulder,

"Beorn took him back to Erebor," he explained nodding towards the dwarven city in the mountain towering over the battlefield,

"You have to find him. You have to go to him."

"What about you?" Bilbo asked desperately, grasping Kili's arm that was holding onto his shoulder,

"If you think I am about to leave you here you are terribly wrong!" the hobbit insisted bravely, causing the dwarf to tear up.

"I can't find Fili. I am not going anywhere until I do," Kili explained.

"I know you think you are invincible and all, but you are not! Especially not with such a wound!" the hobbit stressed, looking around nervously. So far the rock Kili was leaning against was shielding them from both enemies and friends.

"I am not invincible, Bilbo, I am trying to protect you," Kili insisted, shifting a bit only to gasp in pain as it felt like the skin on his back was ripping apart. The hobbit tried so hard to calm his friend when he suddenly started to realize where this was going, tears collecting in his eyes.

"You got to look realistically at this, Bilbo. I am not going to make it back there anyway. I need to find my brother while I can," he said, looking at his friend almost pleadingly,

"Please listen to me. Put on that ring you found and go."

"You can't ask me to do this," Bilbo shook his head,

"What kind of friend would leave their friends to die?" he asked, trying to force the dwarf to his feet, but it was impossible for the smaller being.

"You are not. You have already saved a whole Company full of brash, ungrateful dwarves since the start of the journey! What good would it do for you to die too?" Kili asked, hanging his head as he tried to deal with the pain,

"We are wasting time, Bilbo. I am doing what I said I would. To be at your service and I am telling you to go back," he said, trying not show how frightened he was. His fears wasn't the hobbit's concern.

The hobbit took a moment to take in the battlefield currently containing five armies. It was very slowly starting to die down in places, but he had a feeling it would still go on for hours. So many lives lost and now he was about to loose his friend?

"Why are you making this so hard?» the hobbit looked back at the dwarf, now crying quietly.

"I am not leaving my brother, Bilbo. You have to understand that. Please go back. I beg of you," Kili did indeed beg, then noticed the scrapes and wounds on Bilbo's hand from sliding over the edge of the cliff. He removed his glove and vambrace and put it on Bilbo. The vambrace was of course too big for the hobbit, reaching up to his elbow, but it would do for now.

"Now you look silly," Kili broke into a silly grin,

"But it'll protect your hand when you use your sword," he assured, gripping the hobbit's shoulder again.

Bilbo shook his head, but knew he couldn't refuse anylonger. Instead he locked his arms around Kili's neck for one last hug,

"Please do not think ill of me for this," he whispered.

"I would never," Kili assured and hugged the hobbit back with one arm. Then they broke apart and Kili offered a smile to his friend before the hobbit could put on the ring,

"It has been an honor to be your friend, master burglar."


End file.
